Barrister Profile

Main Areas of Practice

Administrative Law or Judicial Review
Employment Law
Personal Injury
Probate

Biography

Emma is an experienced civil practitioner with a broad and sophisticated practice spanning employment, public law, criminal and regulatory work, coronial proceedings, and trusts and estates. She regularly appears before courts, tribunals and inquests and is qualified to practise in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain. Emma is frequently instructed in complex, sensitive and high-stakes disputes, often involving vulnerable individuals, public bodies and significant reputational/regulatory risk, and is particularly valued for her ability to manage cases where civil, criminal and public law issues overlap.

Employment, Discrimination & Equality Law

Emma is regularly instructed by both Claimants and Respondents across the full range of employment law. She has particular expertise in complex and overlapping claims involving whistleblowing, trade union detriment, equal pay and discrimination, including disability, race and victimisation. Her work frequently involves cases where employment law intersects with public law, regulatory duties or criminal allegations, requiring careful management of parallel proceedings and heightened procedural fairness. She advises a wide range of clients, including public bodies, charities and churches, particularly in matters involving governance, discipline, safeguarding and internal decision-making. Emma is also experienced in employment disputes raising constitutional and public law issues, including proportionality, procedural fairness and the lawful exercise of statutory powers. In addition to Tribunal litigation, Emma is regularly instructed in employment-related civil proceedings, including contractual disputes, injunctions and professional negligence claims arising from failures to advise on limitation, appeal rights or statutory remedies. She has represented Claimants backed by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland in discrimination proceedings before the County Court and is experienced in cases involving significant public interest or policy considerations. Emma also has significant appellate experience in employment law and has acted as sole junior counsel in a number of employment appeals before the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland. Most recently, she successfully represented the National Farmers Union in an appeal concerning employment status, securing a favourable outcome on issues of worker classification and contractual reality. Emma also has a specialist interest in sports law and has represented a number of Irish League football clubs. She is the current Vice Chair of the Employment Lawyers Group in Northern Ireland and publishes a monthly employment law newsletter, McIlveen on Employment.

Public Law/ Judicial Review

Emma has a strong and established public law practice and is instructed for both Applicants and Respondents in judicial review proceedings. She has particular expertise in education, special educational needs and healthcare decision-making, and in cases involving disabled or otherwise vulnerable individuals. She is frequently instructed in challenges concerning unlawful delay, procedural impropriety and failures by public authorities to comply with statutory duties. Emma has extensive experience in urgent and limitation-sensitive judicial review proceedings, including applications for interim and emergency relief. Recent instructions include acting in emergency proceedings concerning the operation of statutory call-in procedures across local councils and high-profile challenges arising from policing and security operations, including the Operation Denton judicial review. These cases engage fundamental constitutional issues including freedom of expression, proportionality, policing powers, executive accountability and access to justice. She has a particular interest and expertise in constitutional and administrative law and is valued for her ability to advance principled and robust arguments in politically or socially sensitive cases. Emma serves on the committee of the Public Law Bar Association.

Criminal Prosecution, Regulatory & Disciplinary Work

Emma has substantial experience in the prosecution of Crown cases, which underpins her regulatory and disciplinary practice and informs her strategic approach to cases involving serious allegations. Her prosecution experience includes complex matters involving fraud, murder, drugs offences and historic sexual offences. She has completed the Vulnerable Witnesses course at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies (IPLS), has extensive experience of working alongside registered intermediaries, and has co-authored articles on vulnerable witnesses and the use of RIs in criminal and regulatory proceedings. She is experienced in the careful handling of cases involving vulnerable witnesses, sensitive evidence and safeguarding considerations. As a result of this background, Emma has developed significant expertise in professional regulation and has appeared before regulatory bodies including the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). She is regularly instructed in cases where employment, regulatory and criminal issues overlap, including disciplinary proceedings arising from alleged criminal conduct, safeguarding concerns or reputational risk. Emma is adept at navigating parallel processes and advising on the interaction between criminal investigations, regulatory proceedings and employment claims.

Coroner’s Inquests

Emma has considerable experience in coronial work and has appeared in inquests, including complex and sensitive cases. She has acted as Counsel to the Coroner and has been instructed in a number of deaths in custody cases. She has also represented public authorities in inquest proceedings, including representing the Northern Ireland Prison Service in the Colin Bell inquest. Emma is experienced in cases engaging Article 2 ECHR duties, disclosure issues and the conduct of inquests involving public scrutiny, institutional accountability and bereaved families.

Trusts, Estates & Probate

Emma practises in contentious trusts and estates and is an affiliate member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). She has completed the STEP Northern Ireland Estates Examination, for which she was awarded a STEP prize in recognition of outstanding performance, and she is currently working towards the STEP Diploma. She has also completed the Advanced Certificate in Advising the Family Business. Her practice includes disputes arising from intestacy, the administration of estates, adverse possession, capacity and vulnerability, and historic failures to regularise title or estate affairs. Emma is regularly instructed in cases involving complex family dynamics, allegations of exploitation or undue influence, and the protection of vulnerable individuals. She is valued for her careful and sensitive handling of family disputes and for providing clear, pragmatic advice in emotionally charged and legally complex cases.